The Hallucinate-tivity Scene
Government anti-drug thugs won't be allowed to prohibit a New Mexico church from using hallucinogenic tea in their Christmas ritual, the Supreme Court ruled:
The church, which has about 140 members in the United States and 8,000 worldwide, said the herbal brew is a central sacrament in its religious practice, which is a blend of Christian beliefs and traditions rooted in the Amazon basin.Hollander said the tea is drunk in a ritual similar to the Catholic Communion. Church members then sit in a circle and meditate; they believe the tea brings them closer to God.
The tea is brewed from plants found in the Amazon River Basin and contains DMT, which officials say is a controlled substance under an international treaty.
However, Bronfman's complaint contends the tea is "non-addictive, is not harmful to human health and poses none of the risks commonly found with the use of certain controlled substances."
The church had drawn parallels to federal protection for members of the Native American Church using peyote, which also has hallucinogenic properties.
I'm still not sure why the government should be allowed to tell us what we can and can't put in our bodies -- as long as we aren't operating heavy machinery -- which is probably not exactly first on your to-do list if you just gulped some 'shroom tea or something. Why is this constitutional? I can't see how it could be.
For a great book on the serious use of hallucinogens (not just to get happy, but as a form of self-help -- and I'm not kidding), check out Archaic Revival, by Terence McKenna. I knew Terence and Os Janiger, both. Os was the one who worked with Cary Grant and others with LSD, and thought hallucinogens could have had a lot of promise in drawing out certain kinds of patients (terribly repressed, etc., and in improving creative work).
Unfortunately, there can be no inquiry into this, thanks to the anti-drug police, who are all about "just say no!" (and please don't engage your brain or anything before doing it). Listen to my other friend, Stanton Peele, whose most recent book is Resisting 12-Step Coercion: AA replaces one addiction with another. All drug use is not abuse. And addiction is not a disease, but a choice. Sure, some people are more biologically prone to make that choice, but it's basically choosing short-term gratification over longterm. Radical stuff, but he backs it up with good data -- something the DEA is completely opposed to doing, because it would get in the way of their fun playing police state.
I had such severe acne in high school, the pimples used to change the shape of my head -- entire areas of my face would blow up and friends would no longer recognize me in the hall. Have you ever used that acne medication "Dry and Clear"? I helped name that product. One morning in freshman year, a market research guy interrupted me during my morning cigarette break to ask me which product names for zip cream I preferred. It was obvious to him that Clearasil just wasn't doing the job for a bubbly complexion shot through with grease and blood and jism.
So what does this have to do with the war on drugs?
I had a friend back then who belonged to the Native American church downtown. Unlike most churches, this one was actually good for something: it was a steady, reliable source of peyote. I was as fond then as I am now of shoving things down my throat, so of course I tried it. After the nausea passed, I liked the way my feet seemed to penetrate the surface of the sidewalk. And you know what? It was amazing for my skin. Not only did the zits go away. My skin glowed. It was like dermabrasion from within.
Don't you realize that our nation's draconian drug laws are preventing ugly, zit-ridden teenagers like me from getting laid? It's criminal. Peyote is an untapped dermatology miracle.
Go Ask Lena at December 12, 2004 5:43 AM
Peyote for the skin...hmmm...so it could be legalized for medicinal purposes? In highschool I found that regular smoking reefer was great for acne control. In fact I'm still without acne.
Does anyone have a phone number for this church? I want to join.
Sheryl at December 13, 2004 1:39 AM
It's not the 70s anymore, Sheryl, and I'm sure the peyote church has gone the way of Max's Kansas City and all the other great things about NYC. Can't you find some type of happy cactus out there in New Mexico? What a great place to trip.
Lena Cuisina, Urban Peyote Whore at December 13, 2004 1:45 AM
Oh yeah, we've got happy cacti and mushrooms and suchlike. I'd like to give this tea a whirl though. Sometimes it's hard to tell it's not the 70s in NM.
Sheryl, will work for dope at December 14, 2004 1:15 AM
The peyote church is alive and well.
Sheryl, will work for dope at December 14, 2004 1:20 AM